Piper PA-30 accident near Springfield, Missouri, October 10, 2024
On October 10, 2024 at about 7:24 pm local time, a 1964 Piper PA-30, registered N7577Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Springfield, Missouri (Springfield-Branson Internatio). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s inability to confirm landing gear position before landing due to the sun glare which resulted in gear up landing. Contributing to the accident was an undetected tripped circuit breaker for the landing gear and the inoperative gear warning horn.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 2024 · about 7:24 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · Springfield-Branson Internatio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30, built 1964 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7577Y · registry record · serial 30-643
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was receiving flight instruction and was practicing an instrument approach while utilizing a view-limiting device. The pilot and flight instructor stated that while on final approach, the landing gear lever was lowered. The pilot could not see if the landing gear was extended but he did verify that the green landing gear indicating light was illuminated; then asked the flight instructor to verify that the landing gear was extended. The flight instructor stated that due to the single landing gear indicating light and the brightness of the conditions outside, he could not tell if the landing gear was extended or not. He assumed the landing gear was down because of the increased drag on the airplane. Upon landing, the airplane scraped along the runway and smoke came into the cockpit. The airplane came to rest upright on the runway, and the pilot and flight instructor exited through the door without further incident. The flight instructor said that after the accident the landing gear handle was in the down position and the landing gear circuit breaker was popped. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The landing gear circuit breaker was reset, and the landing gear was raised and lowered without issue. The circuit breaker did not trip again during the examination. The landing gear up warning horn did not sound when tested by reducing the manifold pressure below 12 inches. Instead, a landing gear indicating light flashed. The airplane owner said that the landing gear warning horn was not working when he purchased the airplane, and the light was the only indicator to signal that the landing gear was not down. Maintenance records indicated that an annual inspection was complete in September 2024; the landing gear was tested and found to be operating properly during the inspection.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear position and warning › Inoperative
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Bright light › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Flight crew
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 154 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 13, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 315 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 162 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 9, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,751 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 2024; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO320B (piston); 4,710 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO320B (piston); 6,750 hours total
- Operator: Leaseair LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HFJ Monet MO at 6:30 pm
- Destination: SGF Springfield MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 pm from KSGF
Weather report (METAR): KSGF 101852Z 12005KT 10SM CLR 25/07 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP199
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN25LA016.